Tidbits

Yesterday I was thinking a little about how reading web journals has blessed me.  I'm often encouraged, often challenged, and then sometimes there are these little pieces of advice that stick with me and change how I do something.  I was especially thinking of three yesterday.

jo(e) wrote a post about dropping the use of paper towels altogether and using white cloths instead, which I jumped on because I loved the idea.  Now we have a million white cloths in our house and I hope to never buy another roll of paper towels. 

I read this, by Alice, and followed the instructions within.  I had to, she was so convincing, and now I truly believe that homemade granola is possibly the best thing in life.  After I made the recipe, Chinua and I devoured the entire batch within two days.  We ate granola whenever we felt a bit peckish, and there is nothing better on earth than the granola that I made. 

And then, reading Sara's post on her blog, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly, about her commitment to green living, I saw many, many good ideas, but carried away the idea to buy a Kleen Kanteen and stop drinking out of plastic, which I did right away.  We've also been using cloth bags, most of the time.  I'm trying to slowly but surely change one habit at a time. 

Have you found any good ideas on the web lately?  Anything that you've tried?

Comments

[mopsy]

You've inspired me to use the word "peckish" today.

[carrien]

largerfamilies.com ran an organization series last fall, and I think I've stolen every single idea they listed. My favorites is to purchase one of those over the door shoe hangers with all of the pockets and use it for other stuff. I have one on my closet door to organize my underwear socks belts scarves etc. There is one in the kids room too now and they no longer pull out all of their clothes looking for socks and underwear and tights. I use the top pouches for baby items like hats and onesies and face cloths and any other little things I need a place for. Mary at owlhaven.wordpress.com has lots of ideas that make sense to me, especially her frugal Friday posts. And then there's the works for me wednesday hosted by shannon that often has really useful ideas. (http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2007/02/works_for_me_lo.html)
Other favorite places to go include thenewhomemaker.com likemerchantships.blogspot.com and a ton of others that I've found and lost again because I forgot to bookmark them.

Oh and I just remembered another idea from Mary that I've used which is setting up play stations for younger children while you homeschool the older ones so that they don't pull the house apart while you're busy with school. The key is to have two or three activities and have them switch every 10 minutes or so so they don't get bored and start tearing the place apart. This worked well with the Girl until she was happy to sit and color at the table, and count along, and often she provides the answer faster than the boy now when he's sounding out words, which drives him nuts.

[Rebeca]

I love my Mooncup, which I learned about on someone's blog. I'm sure I've gleaned lots of other great ideas but that's the first one that popped into my mind since you're talking about going green.
I won't go into details as to what it is. If you don't know you'll have to look it up....

[Jennifer]

Haven't tried it yet, but the salad posted at the real food revolution looks amazing. My family will probably love it...and the granola too. Only I will have to make sure not to serve them both in one day or we'll all have a bellyache for sure! Oh, I recently tried a chicken lettuce wraps recipe found online too and it's a total keeper. For a firstime recipe I was surpried that the fam has requested that it become a regular dinner item around here. Well, the kids liked it better with rice, but the adults liked it all wrapped up in crunchy lettuce cups. Yum!

[Kari]

I'm very happy to have been introduced to the Weepies by your blogpost from yesterday.

[menak a]

i went diaper free with my youngest daughter revati, and i am proud to say i was tuned into her pee and poop by the time she was six months i knew when her poop was comin, and she never peed the bed at night after six months either, we just let her be nude, and we took her pee first thing upon waking, i give thanks to the book and friend who wrote it : diapper free natures natural higene, by Ingrid Bauer, wonderful lady and also a Non Violent Communication facilitator and guide. Also my friends on Salt Spring got me into it by being able to see it in action, they also turned me on to no more toilet paper, they use water as well as white rags for whiping, works fine and they have laundry facilties so that helps...

I also recomend the website Newsociety.com New society is a wicked alternative publishing company that has infinite books on natural and sustainable living, greeining your family and comunity,

I work at an organic Delivery store, Small Potatoes and we save resources and energy by delivering food to the door rather than driving it to the supermarket, and then driving it home:)

we used to bike everywhere with the kids last year, when we lived in Victoria(voted canada's most bike friendly place to live) that was an amazing year for me, got fit, increased my stamina, saved resources, and also had a blast with the girls!

we plan to purchase a diesel vehicle within the next few years so we can use bio fuel, there are a few restaurants in bc which sponsor some cars and they place their stickers on the bumber, 'powered by green cuisine' which is what we use on the farm for the generators as well as insid the chain saw...
it probably helps to know that i used to work for greenpeace and got totally galactivated towards making a small difference in the ever changing world we share:)

i loved hearing everyones input, it makes me green all over! and , you also inspired me to use the word peckish!

peace and love!